Posts Tagged ‘Julia Mabel’
Just say “Yes”
Posted on: August 22, 2009
- In: Life
- 2 Comments
I read a post a while back about loosening up on some of our perfectionism and allowing our kids to just be kids. I realized that I say “No” a lot to Julia.
“No, you may not have that cookie.”
“No, you may not touch the that.”
“No, you may not turn the faucet on and off.”
Etc, etc, etc.
Even as I type this, we’re sitting in the car, preparing to go to the State Fair and I just said “No.” Julia just discovered the garage door opener and began pressing the button, watching the door close, then open, then close, then open. I started to take it away, when I thought “What harm is it really? What’s the big deal?” There are still ground rules, she must obey, cheerfully, even when I say “No.” For example, the keys are always off limits, since we have an alarm and the little red panic button is just too much temptation. “No” isn’t bad, it helps her learn boundaries, self-control, patience, but sometimes “No” is more for my convenience and less for her own good. But, for today, I’m going to try saying “Yes” more. Let Julia just be a toddler, exploring her world, learning about new things and realizing that mama will say “Yes” just as often as I say “No.”
Potty training, Day 11
Posted on: August 21, 2009
WOO-HOO!!
That is about all I can say right now.
Seriously. I am just too, too excited!
I took the girls to Chicago on Tuesday. Julia made it the whole way there without one accident (even though she was wearing a diaper). About 2 hours into our trip, she asked to go potty, so we made a stop. Once in Chicago, she did really well for the first half of the trip (about 2-3 hours) but then bathrooms became scarce she had a few accidents.
Yesterday around, 11, I realized that Julia had made it through the whole morning without one accident. Multiple times she told me when she needed to go to the potty, without any prompting. Then 5 rolled around and she still hadn’t had any accidents. We had been out twice running errands, one of which she informed me she needed to go, but had to wait till we got home (15 minutes later). Things are going just as well today. No accidents, she’s telling me when she needs to go or I take her when I think enough time has passed that she might need to go.
We’re still working on a system of going before we ever leave the house, going as soon as we come home. I’ve found that she has the most accidents when she’s outside and too distracted. Usually, she’ll start going and come running to me saying “Uh-oh, potty”. So, when she’s outside I have to stay on top of it with her, to help her out.
She’s been staying dry overnight for at least a week and has only had one wet diaper during naps. Holy cow, I am thrilled! We got this book from the library, “No More Diapers for Ducky!” and she wants to read it all the time. Which, hey, if it’s gonna help her and be even more of an encouragement, then I am all for it! Kinda like her obsession with “Zoo Poo” (which I kinda like, because she always asks for it when she needs to poo, so I know what to expect 😉 ).
Here’s two questions I’ve got for all you moms who have potty trained:
1. What did you use during naps/overnight when your kiddo was staying dry, but you wanted back up just in case?
2. What did you use during trips/longer outings, when a bathroom might not be available all the time and accidents might be more likely to happen?
So far, we’ve gone with the no-diapers-except-for-sleeping-or-long-trips (aka, our trip to Chicago this week), but I’d really love to try no-diapers-ever and see how we do. I have waterproof trainers, but for some reason Julia HATES them and cries whenever she has to wear them. Any suggestions would be awesome.
Pictures
Posted on: August 14, 2009
This one makes me laugh - she was crying because I wouldn't give her the camera.
*Thanks Holly, for flipping my pictures!!
Random kiddo updates
Posted on: August 14, 2009
- In: Life
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Julia:
We’ve made it through 5 days of potty training with more success than failure! We’ve ventured out several times without any accidents. Wednesday night, on the way home from church she told us she needed to go potty. We had just passed the last gas station before getting on the interstate, so we pulled over and let her go in the grass. She thought it was a riot. I figure it’s good training for us on our trip to Nashville. Last night Jonathan and I went out on a date and dropped Julia off with some friends. On the way there she had an accident (which was more my fault – too rushed getting out the door before hand to remember to ask her to go) and then had an accident once she was there. But, hey, that’s okay. Also, today she started telling me again when she needs to go. Several months back she had been doing this, but then stopped. But since this morning she’s told me two or three times without being asked. Woot-woot!
Hannah:
Hannah had her 2 month appointment yesterday. She’s weighing in at 12 pounds! She hated the shots (obviously) but handling the aftermath like a champ. Yesterday I started her on no-swaddle during naps. This is a big deal in my mind. With Julia, she would never sleep without being swaddled, but would always manage to come unswaddled, thus waking up before she was really ready. But so far, Hannah has done well napping without the swaddle. Part of me thinks it might be in part to her sleeping with us at night – I usually unswaddle her when she’s in our bed and in the mornings she’s asleep in our bed for about an hour on her own, so the transition hasn’t been rough. I’m hopeful that Hannah will be napping and sleeping overnight unswaddled by four months (again – to most this might not be a big deal, but with me it’s HUGE!).
Jack:
Jack is a dog. There’s not much to report, other than he’s gotten a little pudgy in the middle over the last few weeks. About 4 weeks ago, Jack got a nasty hot spot on his neck. The vet gave him some steroids, warning that they might make him more hungry/thirsty. Um, yeah, Jack is really hungry. All. The. Time. At first I was feeding him whenever he’d seem hungry – never a good idea. We’re back to his normal feeding schedule, but he’s still pudgy. But, I have to admit, it’s kinda cute. 😉
Comic relief
Posted on: August 13, 2009
My friend, Dana, once wrote a post about how she thinks her life is an episode from Seinfeld. I decided that whatever show my life takes after, I must be the comic relief.
Tuesday morning I took the girls to run a few errands. One of them was going to the library to pay a few late fines (they really should have a new mom leniency program). When we first got there, I took Mabel to the potty. As I’m steering my ginormous double stroller into the restroom, Jonathan calls. I walk into the family bathroom (it’s not a stall, but actual bathroom) and the automatic light doesn’t come on. The stroller is so huge, that I’m struggling to push it all the way into the restroom. All the while, talking on the phone, trying to turn on the light (that is, again, suppose to be automatic and has no real switch), and keep Mabel from peeing in her big girl pants. I toss my purse off my shoulder onto the counter (still in the dark), when I hear water.
Water is never a good sign.
The light finally comes on, I turn around to see my purse, laying in the toddler sink, water running. Because, clearly, the automatic light won’t work when I need it, but the sink will! I grab my purse, just to see that the bag of M&M’s I brought as potty rewards is sitting in the sink soaking wet. Perfect.
For about 10 seconds I was pretty irritated. Then I realized just how ridiculously funny the situation really was, and I laughed. My life might not be an episode from Seinfeld, but one thing is for sure; if there is ever a show about the ridiculous things that happens to moms, my life could supply ample amounts of material.
Eeek!
Posted on: August 10, 2009
- In: Life
- 2 Comments
It’s official.
Potty training starts today.
Mabel has slowly gotten back on track (on her own incentive) for the first time since Hannah was born. She had some regression for a few weeks, which was fine by me since I was (maybe still am?!) in post-baby haze. But I decided that it’s time to bite the bullet and go for it. We’re going to Tennessee over Labor Day, so that might throw a chink in my chain, but hopefully we’ll survive.
Send us good potty vibes and wish us luck!
Here’s to no diapers by the end of the year!
Coffee, friend or foe?
Posted on: July 13, 2009
- In: Life
- 4 Comments
Julia woke up this morning at 1:30. Didn’t go back to sleep till after 4. For an hour.
Hannah woke up at 3:30. Didn’t go back to sleep till after 5.
I originally woke up at 2:30 (since Jonathan got up with Julia). Fell back asleep until 3:30.
I have been up ever since.
Around 9:30 this morning I was in desperate need of coffee.
Got said coffee. Took the girls to the park to burn off any remaining energy Julia had.
Came home. Ate lunch.
Put Julia to bed around 11:30.
Put Hannah to bed around 11:45.
Me? Still awake.
Physically tired, but mentally awake.
Can’t sleep.
Wish I could.
Stupid coffee.
Coffee, my love.
I’m still trying to figure out if I love coffee or hate it.
Since the girls went to bed, I’ve cleaned the upstairs, started three loads of laundry, paid random bills, had a quite time, cleaned my bedroom and surfed the web.
Without coffee, I could be asleep right now.
Without coffee, I would not have made it through my morning.
With coffee, I got a lot of stuff done.
With coffee, I am wired.
Friend or foe?
Failure
Posted on: July 9, 2009
- In: Life
- 6 Comments
I’m failing.
I have always set high standards for myself. I expect a lot and want to be the best at everything. But, I will say that I am successfully getting my butt kicked by having two children. So much so, that my mom is coming back to Iowa for a few days.
Failure.
In the last four weeks, Julia has watched a shameful amount of tv.
Failure.
My disciplining is sporadic at best.
Failure.
Hannah has slept in our bed far more than Julia ever did. And I don’t see it stopping right away.
Failure.
My house looks like a tornado came through it. All day. Every day.
Failure.
I have not been the most grace giving, love showing mama.
Failure.
But God’s grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in my weakness.
Success.
God’s grace has saved me.
Success.
God still loves me. Even though my house is a mess, my oldest has watched too much tv, my youngest relies on a pacifier, my stress level is high, my emotions are on the fritz and even as an adult, I am having to call my mom to come rescue me.
Success.
“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
The thing is…
Posted on: June 25, 2009
God has a way of making me eat my words.
Seriously.
I feel like it happens all the time. I say one thing, God proves me wrong. Like the idea that just cause I pray for something doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. Yesterday was a doozy of a day. From start to finish I felt like I was getting my butt beat by everything and everyone. Jonathan came home during the afternoon to give me a little break. Before calling him I told myself that I needed the help, but that I was still strong, still under control, I just need a little help. I retreated to our bedroom to delve into the Bible with a hope that God would reveal some wonderful verse about how great I am, how I am special and wonderful in every way. Instead I read:
“If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.” Proverbs 24:10
Right… Thanks God!
When I told Jonathan of my plight last night, his response was ” You’re way more dramatic then I give you credit for.” Ahh, gotta love honesty. 😉
I figure it’s all good, because really I do still have a lot to learn and God just wants to remind me.
In other news, having two kids is hard work! I could go into all the ways that I’ve discovered just how crazy busy life is with a toddler and a newborn, but frankly my brain isn’t functioning that well these days, so it’ll have to wait for another day and another post.
And we wait…
Posted on: June 13, 2009
- In: Life
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Ok, I know I’d said I wasn’t going to blog before the baby comes, but at the begging urging request of Leah, I’m updating just so you all have a little something to read during your free time.
I’m still pregnant. Obviously. But I’m hoping my condition changes soon.
Friday morning I saw my midwife. She took some measures to help get things moving along and told me that I’m 3 cm dilated. My mom got into town Friday evening and since then we’ve been doing a lot of walking and massage therapy to help induction. I spent a good two hours at the mall this afternoon walking around. At one point I literally thought the baby was about to drop out of me. But again, obviously that didn’t happen. I’ve had some mild cramping, but nothing regular or seemingly promising. Even though I’m not due for another 3 days, I’ve found myself really struggling to trust God on the timing of Dubya Dos’ arrival. Part of this is due to my honest belief that I wasn’t going to make it this long, and part is because I really just want to meet my baby already. It’s funny that I know, logically, that this baby will come out, but my emotions are all over the place. I just keep clinging to truth, that God is always good and His will/timing is always perfect.
It’s been nice having some lag time between the DD’s arrival and my mom and Dave’s arrival. Julia hasn’t seen them since before we found out we were pregnant, so I’ve been nervous about how well she’d warm up to them. However, God has truly blessed their relationship. Julia has really taken to them both and is doing super. Because we don’t live in Tennessee, we don’t get a chance to see Omi and Grandpa very often, so having grandparents around is a whole new territory. I think Julia has really picked up on having new “freedoms” with Omi and Grandpa. Normally I’d been far more adamant about maintaining certain rules (ex: candy, roughhousing, etc), but think that this should be a treat for her, so have let a few several things slide by the wayside. But this afternoon/evening we did need a little time to reestablish who’s in charge. 🙂
Alrighty, I will let this be the real end until DD arrives. Hope you enjoyed the update.
A Wife Loved Like The Church 
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